1
as in speech
the art of speaking in public eloquently and effectively
a presidential hopeful with a gift for oratory and a highly charismatic personality
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2
as in rhetoric
language that is impressive-sounding but not meaningful or sincere
the politician's oratory sounded good only to people who didn't bother to think
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oratory
Darrow, in spite of his powerful oratory, and in spite of outmaneuvering Bryan during their exchange, was up against the fact that Scopes had admitted to teaching evolution, in violation of the Butler Act.
—
Dan Falk, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 May 2025
On Friday, as the Rams prepared for the second night of the draft, McVay used his oratory skills before another assemblage of pros.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Then with some of the most stirring words in American oratory, Kennedy told the students — and all of us — that individual courage can be a powerful force for good.
—John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2025
Revisiting ancient Greek oratory and today’s communication courses, speaking has obviously been prioritized over listening.
—Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oratory
Dan Falk, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 May 2025
On Friday, as the Rams prepared for the second night of the draft, McVay used his oratory skills before another assemblage of pros.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Then with some of the most stirring words in American oratory, Kennedy told the students — and all of us — that individual courage can be a powerful force for good.
—John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2025
Revisiting ancient Greek oratory and today’s communication courses, speaking has obviously been prioritized over listening.
—Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oratory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oratory
Noun
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Voice recognition technology, refined through work with speech disabilities, powers virtual assistants used by billions.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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The El Grito de Independencia commemorates the speech that marks the beginning of the Mexican independence movement.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Her Bluesky feed in the hours after Kirk’s murder was filled with inflammatory rhetoric.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Sep. 2025
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While detailing the first in-person meeting between her and Rodríguez, Pascal spoke about the specific rhetoric that trans actors sometimes come up against, which is that trans actors should connect with trans subjects based solely on identity, rather than the many other aspects of their humanity.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Players understanding the play calls filtered through his thick Southern elocution.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
28 July 2025
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The delightful elocution of their dry-as-martini witticisms (dialect coach Nancy Carlin) adds to the joys of this period piece.—
Karen D'Souza,
The Mercury News,
25 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Just days earlier, Erika’s husband had been assassinated during a public speaking event in Utah.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
14 Sep. 2025
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Toastmasters meetings help participants improve their public speaking, communication, and professional presentation skills.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Oratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oratory. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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